


Not a Trophy Wife

by DietCokeofEvil



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, In-Laws, Marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-07-08 06:40:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19865176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DietCokeofEvil/pseuds/DietCokeofEvil
Summary: Hermione's in-laws are coming for a visit.  Cue the freaking out.





	Not a Trophy Wife

**Author's Note:**

> Now that the challenge is over, I can add something here. I was shocked that I made it through the first round of eliminations as I've never participated before and while I love to write, was not sure that I was any good at it. So I picked my relationship for the next round and proceeded to write most of this in one sitting.
> 
> It was exhilarating. I went from not having a clue what I was going to write to basically getting verbal diarrhea in the span of ten minutes. While I was bummed that I wasn't selected for the third round, I'm still particularly excited about this story and I think that I may expand on it a bit. I'm still not 100% decided on that as I have a few WIP's already, but I think that the way this story came about calls for a closer examination and maybe a bit more added.

“ _Myown_ , vut is going on?” Viktor walked in the door to find his wife frantically scrubbing a spot on the living room carpet. 

“Your parents invited themselves to dinner,” said Hermione. She sat up and ran her fingers through her already unruly hair. “I had plans for us tonight, but I couldn’t say no to them. They already hate me, and I knew that if I said no they would…”

Viktor walked over and took Hermione’s hand, helping her up and kissing her before she could keep talking more. It was true that Viktor’s parents did not approve of Hermione- they had hoped he would marry a pureblood from close to home. He didn’t care, though. Hermione had won his heart from the beginning, and he had found no one to match her in the years since. After the war, they had reconnected and fallen in love, choosing to elope quietly to avoid the press. “It vill be fine,” he promised. 

“The last time they came over, your Mum followed me around the house, examining everything and criticizing how dingy everything was, and lecturing me about makeup charms,” said Hermione. “I worked extra this week so I could have a few extra hours today, and I fell behind on housework…”

“ _Myown_ ,” soothed Viktor. Hermione, who normally hated nicknames, but loved this one, stopped talking again. “The house looks fine. I vill finish this and head Mama off. Vat time vill they be here?”

“We have an hour,” said Hermione. “I have a roast in the oven. Luckily, I had enough for two extra guests.”

“Ve’re going to have roast tonight?” asked Viktor. “Did I miss a special occasion? Vat did you haf planned for tonight?”

Hermione sat down and beckoned for Viktor to do the same. “I had something I was going to tell you tonight,” she said. “Something important.”

“Is everything all right? Are you vell?” Viktor looked worried. He sometimes worried that the strain his parents and fans put on him about his marriage sometimes made Hermione worry that they had made the wrong decision, but Viktor was never one to let anyone rule his life. He remembered how his female fans reacted when the papers reported their marriage and the vitriol that come Hermione’s way. It died down eventually, but for the first few months of marriage, they could barely leave the house without some fan trying to hex his wife. 

“I’m fine,” said Hermione. “It’s just…oh…I wanted to make this special. I was making your favorite dinner, and then I was going to give you this.” She grabbed a small package from the table and gave it to him. “I guess I have to move plans up now.” She offered him the package, and he took it with a smile.

“Are you sure I haven’t missed an occasion?”

“It’s a new occasion,” said Hermione. He unwrapped the box to find a tiny Bulgarian National Quidditch Jersey with “Baby Krum” emblazoned on the back.

“Is this…you are…” Viktor didn’t know what to say. “A baby! How vunderful!” He wrapped his arms around Hermione and held her close, happier than he could say.

………

‘Viktor!” Mr. and Mrs. Krum spoke with their son in rapid Bulgarian when they entered the house. Hermione had learned some, but not enough to follow the conversation. She thought about using a translation spell, but she was almost afraid to hear what they were saying about her when they thought she couldn’t understand. Hermione greeted them in Bulgarian and invited them to sit.

“English, Mama,” said Viktor. “So _Myown_ can take part.” Mrs. Krum sniffed in Hermione’s direction, put out that her daughter-in-law was not learning their language fast enough. “Ve haff news.” He took Hermione’s hand and squeezed it. “Ve are haffing a baby.”

Viktor’s parents started speaking in Bulgarian again, and judging from the raised voices, Hermione could tell they were not pleased. 

………

Viktor came up behind Hermione and put his arms around her waist as she did dishes. “That didn’t go well,” she commented. They had eaten in near silence, and then Viktor’s parents left in a huff. “I thought a grandchild would make them happy.”

“They are upset because you vork, _Myown_ ,” explained Viktor. “They expect for you to keep spotless home, look perfect, be at my beck and vim at all times, and that if there are babies, you vill be at home wiz them vile I do vat pleases me, just like Papa.”

“But that’s not me,” cried Hermione. ‘You knew that when you married me.”

“Of course I did, _Myown_ ,” soothed Viktor. He gently pulled her away from the sink and sat down in a chair, pulling her into his lap, putting his hand on her stomach. “Vat my parents expect, I do not vant. Zis I knew from the moment I met you. A…vat do you call it…trophy vife? Zat was nefer for me. I vant partner vith own mind, own interests. Vun who vill not mind if I vant to stay home with the baby.”

They had not discussed it much, but Hermione knew that Viktor planned on retiring from Quidditch after the season was over but had not decided what to do next. They weren’t hurting for money, between their savings and Hermione’s generous salary at the Ministry; they could afford him taking time off for a long while. 

“I love zat you have your passion,” continued Viktor. “I haff enough trophies. You, _Myown_ , are my beautiful prize beyond compare and I am proud to be your husband.” He smiled as she threw her arms around him and kissed him.

………

True to his word, Viktor retired, and when little Nikolina was born, he became a stay-at-home Dad, and he could often be seen proudly carrying his daughter through the Ministry to visit Mummy for lunch. Even if it wasn’t good enough for his parents, it was just fine for him.


End file.
